Lawmakers hear about efforts to make Kentucky more military friendly
(FRANKFORT, Ky.) – At the September meeting of the Interim Joint Committee on Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection, members heard from two organizations doing important work to support veterans, service members, and their families while making Kentucky a more welcoming place for those who have served our country.
The Kentucky VALOR program and USA Cares approach that mission from different directions, but both are focused on helping veterans find a stable future here in the Commonwealth.
VALOR, which stands for Veterans Accelerated Licensure Occupational Recruitment, is an initiative of the Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation. The program was created to help service members transition from military careers into civilian employment without having to start over. VALOR works to recruit transitioning service members from across the country to Kentucky before they leave the military. The program works to connect service members with employers, educational opportunities, apprenticeships, and accelerated licensing pathways.
That last piece is especially important. Military service provides people with valuable skills and experience, but those skills do not always translate easily into the civilian workforce. VALOR has created 44 accelerated pathways covering 55 levels and categories of civilian licensure and more than 180 military occupational specialties.
Instead of asking veterans to begin again, the program works to recognize the training they already have and help them put it to use. The results are encouraging. VALOR currently has 2,767 veterans in its pipeline and has placed 249 in Kentucky jobs. More than half of those placements have come from outside Kentucky, with an average salary of more than $64,000. The program also reports a 94% job placement retention rate.
Those numbers matter not only to veterans and their families, but also to Kentucky employers. As our state continues working to strengthen its workforce, recruiting people who already have experience, discipline, and specialized training can benefit communities across the Commonwealth.
USA Cares provides another important piece of that support system. The Kentucky-based organization helps post-9/11 veterans, service members, and their families facing financial challenges, while also providing career transition assistance and training.
Through its Military Assistance Response Program, USA Cares provides emergency assistance for needs such as housing, transportation, utilities, and food. But its work does not stop when an immediate bill is paid. The organization’s Follow Through program provides continued support at 30, 60, 90, and 120 days after assistance. That can include help with housing stability, employment, caregiver needs, VA benefits, and connections to community resources. The organization also provides wellness screenings and can pay for up to six clinical mental health therapy sessions with trusted providers.
The numbers show how Kentucky funding has translated into direct assistance. During the 2024-26 budget cycle, USA Cares spent nearly $1.94 million of its state funding on assistance programs and helped 485 Kentucky families. That included hundreds of housing payments to help prevent eviction or foreclosure, auto-related payments to help maintain reliable transportation, and utility payments to keep electricity, water, and gas services in place.
The organization told members that its Kentucky funding was exhausted June 30, 2026. As a result, assistance has been reduced, including a decrease in the maximum assistance amount from $10,000 to $1,500. Of 53 requests received from Kentucky veterans in July and August, USA Cares was able to assist 21.
These organizations remind us that supporting veterans means more than recognizing their service on a particular day. It means helping them find a job, keep a roof over their heads, maintain reliable transportation, access benefits, and build a stable future for their families.
Kentucky has much to offer veterans and service members transitioning from active duty to retirement, from a relatively low cost of living and strong communities to educational and employment opportunities. Programs such as VALOR and USA Cares help make sure we are doing our part to connect those who have served with those opportunities.
Our veterans have already given much to our country. As a Commonwealth, we should continue looking for practical ways to ensure they and their families can find opportunity, stability, and a place to call home in Kentucky.
As always, I can be reached anytime through the toll-free message line in Frankfort at 1-800-372-7181. You can also contact me via email at Chris.Freeland@kylegislature.gov and keep track through the Kentucky legislature’s website at legislature.ky.gov.
